Leg structure for a folding bed

ABSTRACT

An improved leg structure for a folding bed includes a bed frame, a leg part and a support. The support includes at least one first rod and at least one second rod inserted into the first rod. An upper end of the first rod is hinged to a bottom of the bed frame, and another end thereof is a first free end. One end of the second rod is hinged to the bed leg, and another end thereof is a second free end. A positioning mechanism is also included. Accordingly, the unfolding and folding operation of the leg part is more convenient, and a stable supporting effect is also attained.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Technical Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a bed framework and relates particularly to animproved leg structure for a folding bed.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

A typical folding bed, as illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, comprises abed frame 1 and leg parts 2. The legs 2 are pivotally connected to abottom of the bed frame 1. At least one strut 3 is pivotally connectedto an inner side of the legs 2. A through hole 31 is formed at a freeend of the strut 3. A projection 11 is disposed at a place relative tothe bottom of the bed frame 1. A slot 32 is formed beside the throughhole 31. A diameter of the slot 32 can be equal to a diameter of thethrough hole 31 so that the free end of the strut 3 can form a U-shapedslot with an orifice opened to the side. The diameter of the slot 32 canalso be slightly smaller than the diameter of the through hole 31 sothat the free end of the strut 3 can form a C-shaped slot with anorifice opened to the side.

To extend or unfold the bed, the folding bed which adopts the abovestructure has to extend the legs 2 firstly, moves the strut 3 toward aside different from the slot 32 under the elasticity of the strut 3, andlocks the projection 11 with the slot 32 from the side by using thethrough hole 31 at the free end of the strut. Thus, the bed frame 1, thelegs 2, and the strut 3 are assembled to provide a triangular supportingstate.

The use of the folding bed still has the following problems. First, thestrut 3 needs to be moved if the strut 3 is to engage with theprojection 11 or is to separate from the projection 11. Such movementsmay cause an elastic deformation of the strut 3. Hence, the unfoldingand folding operation of the strut 3 is more laborious and inconvenient.Second, a long-term use of the strut 3 which may cause the deformationaffects the engagement between the slot 32 and the projection 11, so theconcern about the safety of using the whole folding bed is raised.Third, the strut 3 extending toward an inner side of the bottom of thebed frame 1 causes objects stored on a lower part of the bed frame 1 totouch the strut 3 easily. This situation affects the supportingstability of the strut 3 and also limits the storage space formed on thelower part of the bed frame 1.

Therefore, this invention is invented to solve the above problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of this invention is to provide an improved leg structure fora folding bed which attains a more convenient unfolding and foldingoperation and provides an effect of positioning and supporting stably.

To achieve the aforementioned object, an improved leg structure for afolding bed in accordance with this invention comprises a bed frame, aleg part hinged to a bottom of the bed frame, and a support disposedbetween the bed frame and the leg part. The support includes at leastone first rod and at least one second rod inserted into the first rod.An upper end of the first rod is hinged to the bottom of the bed frame,and another end thereof is defined as a first free end enclosing thesecond rod. One end of the second rod is hinged to the leg part, andanother end thereof is defined as a second free end inserted into thefirst rod. This invention also includes a positioning mechanism forholding the first free end and the second free end in position.

Preferably, the positioning mechanism includes a first through holeformed on the first rod, a second through hole formed on the second rod,and a movable insert passing through the first through hole and thesecond through hole. The movable insert includes a pin portion and alimiting portion adapted to prevent the pin portion from sliding off thefirst through hole and the second through hole automatically.

Preferably, the support is disposed on an outer side of the leg part.The leg part includes two feet and a transverse beam connected betweenthe two feet. The second rod is hinged to the transverse beam.

Preferably, a protecting sleeve is disposed at the first free end. Theprotecting sleeve abuts against the transverse beam when the leg part isset perpendicularly to the bed frame.

To use this invention with the above structure, the leg part is rotatedto allow the second rod which is connected to the bed leg to travelalong the first rod and concurrently move into the first rod. When thebed leg is rotated to a position perpendicular to the bed frame, thepositioning mechanism secures both of the first free end and the secondfree end to hold the first rod and the second rod in position. Thus, theleg part, the support and the bed frame are combined to provide atriangular and stable supporting effect. To fold the leg part, thepositioning mechanism can also be adapted to release the first free endand the second free end. Thus, the unfolding and folding operation ofthe leg part is more convenient. Meanwhile, the positioning mechanismensures that the support can always keep connecting between the bedframe and leg part to attain a stable supporting effect.

Preferably, the movable insert adopted by the positioning mechanism ofthis invention functions to attain a positioning effect by only passingthe pin portion through the first through hole and the second throughhole. To fold the leg part, the movable insert is withdrawn, and thenthe leg part is rotated to move toward the bed frame so that the secondrod can move outwards along the first rod. Thus, the unfolding andfolding operation of the leg part is very convenient.

Preferably, the leg part includes two feet and a transverse beamconnected between the two feet. The second rod is hinged to thetransverse beam. The support is disposed on the outer side of the legpart and connected to the transverse beam, so the transverse beam allowsthe leg part to support the bed frame more stably, and the connectionbetween the support and the transverse beam prevents the support frombeing touched accidentally. Furthermore, the support disposed on theouter side of the leg part allows objects to be stored in a space formedon an inner side of the leg part.

Preferably, a protecting sleeve disposed at the first free end protectsthe first rod by bearing a partial force exerted on the first rod.Meanwhile, the protecting sleeve also helps the positioning effect. Whenthe protecting sleeve abuts against the transverse beam, the firstthrough hole and the second through hole are aligned with each other topermit the movable insert to be precisely inserted into the firstthrough hole and the second through hole. Thus, the operation of holdingthe support in position is more convenient.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a first preferred embodiment of thisinvention in which only one side of the folding bed is shown;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the first preferred embodiment ofthis invention in which only one side of the folding bed is shown;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a conventional folding bed in whichonly one side of the folding bed is shown; and

FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged view of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The advantages and the structure of this invention are further describedin conjunction with accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an improved leg structure for a foldingbed comprises a bed frame 10 and a leg part. FIG. 1 only shows one sideof the folding bed which will be described in detail. The leg part onthe side of the folding bed includes two feet 20 and a transverse beam21 connected between the two feet 20. The two feet 20 are all hinged toa bottom of the bed frame 10.

This invention further comprises a support disposed between the bedframe 10 and the leg part. The support is disposed on an outer side ofthe leg part. The support can be directly connected to the feet 20.Alternatively, the support is connected to the transverse beam 21 asshown. The support includes at least one first rod 41 and at least onesecond rod 42 inserted into the first rod 41. An upper end of the firstrod 41 is hinged to the bottom of the bed frame 10, and the other endthereof is defined as a first free end enclosing the second rod 42. Oneend of the second rod 42 is hinged to the transverse beam 21, and theother end thereof is defined as a second free end inserted into thefirst rod 41. This invention also comprises a positioning mechanismcapable of holding the first free end and the second free end inposition. By using the positioning mechanism, the movement of the firstfree end and the second free end can be limited.

In the preferred embodiment, the positioning mechanism, specifically,includes a first through hole 411 formed on the first rod 41, a secondthrough hole 421 formed on the second rod 42, and a movable insert 50passing through the first through hole 411 and the second through hole421. The movable insert 50 includes a pin portion 52 and a limitingportion 51 which prevents the pin portion 52 from sliding off the firstthrough hole 411 and the second through hole 421 automatically. When thesecond rod 42 moves inside the first rod 41, relative places of thefirst through hole 411 and the second through hole 421 are graduallychanged. When an axis of the first through hole 411 is in alignment withan axis of the second through hole 421, the movable insert 50 can beinserted into the first through hole 411 and the second through hole 421for positioning.

To attain the relative positions of the first rod 41 and the second rod42, the positioning mechanism can also adopt another mechanism, such asa spring latch which is common to use. The spring latch can be disposedinside the second rod 42. When the spring latch moves to the firstthrough hole 411 by a movement of the second rod 42 within the first rod41, the spring latch projects partially from the first through hole 411to limit the relative movement between the second rod 42 and the firstrod 41.

It is also preferable that a protecting sleeve 43 is disposed at thefirst free end. The protecting sleeve 43 abuts against the transversebeam 21 when the leg part and the bed frame 10 are perpendicular to eachother. The use of the protecting sleeve 43 can bear a partial forceexerted on the first rod 41 to make sure that the first rod 41 providesa more stable supporting effect.

While the embodiments of this invention are shown and described, it isunderstood that further variations and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of this invention.

1. An improved leg structure for a folding bed comprising a bed frame, aleg part hinged to a bottom of said bed frame, and a support disposedbetween said bed frame and said leg part, wherein said support includesat least one first rod and at least one second rod inserted into saidfirst rod, an upper end of said first rod being hinged to said bottom ofsaid bed frame, another end of said first rod being defined as a firstfree end having a circumferential wall defining a rectangular openingand enclosing said second rod, one end of said second rod being hingedto said leg part, another end of said second rod being defined as asecond free end having a rectangular cross-section that corresponds insize and shape to said rectangular opening of said first rod to bereceivably inserted into said opening of said first rod, a positioningmechanism being disposed for holding said first free end and said secondfree end in position; wherein said positioning mechanism includes afirst through hole formed in and extending through said first rod, asecond through hole formed in and extending through said second rod, anda movable insert including a pin portion receivable in and extendiblecompletely through said first through hole and said second through holeand a limiting portion mounted to an end of said pin portion to preventsaid pin portion from sliding off said first through hole and saidsecond through hole.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The improved leg structure for thefolding bed as claimed in claim 1, wherein said support is disposed onan outer side of said leg part, said leg part including two feet and atransverse beam connected between said two feet, said second rod beinghinged to said transverse beam.
 4. The improved leg structure for thefolding bed as claimed in claim 1, wherein a protecting sleeve isdisposed at said first free end of said first rod.